Properly seal wet cell in a few steps

Walls and floors in and around wet rooms, such as the shower or bathtub, must be protected against splashing water. If there is no permanent and effective waterproofing, water can penetrate into the nearby surfaces, so moisture damage is to be expected in the long term.

Why is waterproofing necessary in the first place?

Tiles in themselves are designed to be waterproof, but over time their joints wear out due to frequent contact with chemicals and splashing water. Therefore, it is necessary to seal the adjacent walls up to 30 centimeters above the shower head and the floor in the case of showers, and up to 20 centimeters above the inlet in the case of bathtubs. Practical brushable sealants are available for this purpose, among others, which can be applied directly to plaster, concrete or other substrates. Regardless of whether the toilet area, the shower tray or the shower in the bathroom is to be waterproofed - waterproofing the wet room always works in the same way. After waterproofing, tiles or other wall and floor coverings are laid directly on the waterproofing. To also permanently seal drains, pipe penetrations, shower and tub transitions, as well as corner joints, the waterproofing coat is effectively supplemented with waterproofing tape, which consists of waterproof fabric.

The waterproofing of the wet room - a guide

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The preparation

. Before starting the waterproofing of the wet cell, it is necessary to level all the irregularities and holes in the walls or floor. This can be done with the help of tile adhesive or repair mortar. After the filler has dried completely, the walls and floor are thoroughly cleaned. Coarse dirt can be removed with a vacuum cleaner, grease and oil with suitable cleaning agents. If a highly absorbent substrate is present, it should also be primed with solvent-free deep primer.

The first coat

. Once the waterproofing primer is completely dry, the waterproofing coat is applied in a first layer. In the first step, this involves painting the corners generously. The other floor and wall surfaces then follow in the brush and roller method.

Application of the sealing tape

. Once the transitions and the corner joints have been painted, sealing tape is stuck into the damp waterproofing coat. To do this, the sealing tape is simply cut to fit and pushed into the desired position. The application of the sealing tape is particularly successful if a small square timber or a folding rule is used. The sealing tape is also used on the water connections, drains and pipe penetrations. A sealing sleeve must be inserted into the damp paint in these places for this purpose. This can also be cut from the normal sealing tape independently.

Paint over sealing tape

If all connections, transitions and corner joints of the wet cell were sealed, the sealing coat is also applied over the sleeves and the sealing tape. The final step is the first coat of paint on the floor surface.

The second coat

. The first waterproofing coat must then dry for about two hours before the second coat can be applied. Tiles or other wall coverings are not applied until the second waterproofing coat is completely dry. Therefore, this work should be done only the next day.

Sealing with silicone

. As a final step, movement, corner and connection joints are sealed with silicone. Special sanitary silicone should be used for sealing in particularly damp rooms such as the bathroom. This contains anti-fungal agents that significantly reduce the risk of mold in the shower. This is filled into the joints with the aid of a cartridge. Excess silicone can be removed with a joint smoother wetted with soapy water. The shower is then not to be used for the following twelve hours. Fig.: ErikaWittlieb/pixabay.com